Healing Hearts

Chapter 11

They spent the remaining hours of the day discovering every inch of each others' bodies, trying out different nooks and crannies of Charlotte's apartment. Winslow, possibly traumatized from what he had seen, found solace under the bed - the only place they didn't explore. He only emerged later in the afternoon when their passion had died down and they had fallen asleep entwined on the couch.

Simon was the first to awaken, feeling the warmth of Charlotte's head resting on his chest. He looked down at her face, noticing her closed eyelids twitching with the movement of her eyes beneath. I wonder what she's dreaming about.

Charlotte stirred slightly, the corners of her lips lifting into a small smile. Her hand lazily rose and touched Simon's chest, her fingers playing with the thick hairs there. Simon's heartbeat seemed to synchronize with the rhythm of her breath, their bodies still connected despite the passage of time.

He leaned down and gently kissed the top of her head, the soft strands of her hair brushing against his lips. "Evening," he whispered.

"Evening," she murmured in response, her voice muffled by his chest. She opened her eyes, and her gaze locked with Simon's. The corners of her mouth twitched into a smirk. "I think we should order takeout tonight. All this creativity is exhausting."

Simon chuckled, running his fingers through her hair. "Agreed." He looked around the room, taking in the disarray of their passionate afternoon.

"It looks like we could use some help," he said, his eyes lingering on the scattered clothing. "Let's tidy up and then order some food."

Charlotte leaned into him, a content smile on her face. "Sounds like a plan," she agreed, her voice still soft and breathy from sleep.

They spent the next hour cleaning up the remnants of their day, laughing and teasing each other along the way. Simon couldn't help but feel grateful for the way Charlotte made him feel, as if there was no place he would rather be than with her.

Finally, they sat down on the couch, snuggled close to each other as they ordered their favorite takeout. The food arrived quickly, and they dug into the delicious meal while sitting in comfortable silence, enjoying the afterglow of their passionate day.

As he ate, Simon couldn't help but think about all that had changed in his life over the last couple of weeks. He'd gone from a happily married man, living in the suburbs with his wife and daughter, to learning of his wife's infidelity, separating, and living alone in an apartment in the city. The co-worker he had once swallowed his feelings for was sitting next to him, in her apartment no less, after they'd spent the day making love. He smiled. Change is good.

He thought about his conversation with Cavanagh the other day, when he'd been told there would be consequences for future outbursts at work. The suggestion that Simon needed therapy was ridiculous.

He turned to Charlotte, his mind recalling something she had said to him the day before. "Hey Char..." he started.

Seemingly amused by the nickname, Charlotte turned to face him, a smile playing on her lips. "Yes, Si?"

He chuckled. "That's fair." He paused, planning out what he wanted to ask her. "You mentioned the other day that you had been to therapy while in medical school." He tread carefully, not wanting to make any waves.

Charlotte took a moment to set down her fork before responding. "You understand how intense medical school can be, Simon. Everyone is constantly tired, stressed, and competing with each other." She looked into his eyes, hoping he would empathize. He nodded in agreement, prompting her to continue.

"I had a few people I considered close friends - or so I thought - who turned out to be incredibly toxic." She looked away, shaking her head as if still perplexed. "I have no idea what I did to them, but they started spreading rumors about me cheating on exams behind my back. It got so bad that the dean called me in to discuss my grades."